The Veterans Day Open House at the Stahls museum, located at 56516 North Bay Drive in Chesterfield Township, will be open to the public 10 a.m.-5 p.m. for free or a donation benefiting Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs.

Events to honor veterans, support service dogs

METRO DETROIT — Supporting our veterans and the medical service dogs that give them comfort will be the focus of two local charity events planned for Veterans Day weekend.

On Nov. 11, the Stahls Automotive Collection in Chesterfield Township will host its fourth annual Veterans Day Open House. The next day, Team Stahls will take on the Detroit Red Wings Alumni for a charity hockey game at the St. Clair Shores Civic Arena.

The proceeds from both events will benefit Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Inc., a group dedicated to pairing military veterans and first responders with individually trained medical canine companions.

The event at the Stahls museum, located at 56516 N. Bay Drive in Chesterfield Township, will be open to the public 10 a.m.-5 p.m. for free or for a donation benefiting Guardian Angels.

The museum’s beautiful collection features nearly 100 vintage vehicles and a “music room” that houses some of the world’s most interesting mechanical music players. Veterans Day activities at the museum will also include a display of historical military footage and artifacts, set among the collection’s Brass Era, Depression Era, pre-war and post-war vehicles.

Dan Stahl, GroupeSTAHL legal counsel and international officer, said that offering an atmosphere for veterans to gather on a day set aside to honor service and sacrifice, while at the same time raising money for an organization that serves veterans, is what the open house and hockey game are all about.

“It just allows them to kind of relate to each other and the different difficulties and stresses, and the things they’ve gone through that might be different, but they’re similar in many ways,” Stahl said. “It’s amazing how many people you can get together. One of the better parts: They can bring their family along.”

On Nov. 12, the festivities will move to the St. Clair Shores Civic Arena at 20000 Stephens St., where Team Stahls, coached by 1980 U.S. hockey “Miracle on Ice” gold medalist Mark Wells, will take on the Detroit Red Wings Alumni team. Tickets cost $10 for the 12:30 p.m. puck drop, with the proceeds again benefiting Guardian Angels.

“We’re really grateful to Stahls for this opportunity to build awareness and to help us raise funds so we can continue to pair veterans and first responders with their medical service dogs,” said Jolanthe Bassett, Michigan coordinator for Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs. “It’s because of businesses like this we’re able to do what we’re able to do. We’re very grateful to them.”

Bassett said Guardian Angels has paired 18 veterans and first responders with service dogs in Michigan. The group has successfully placed 200 dogs nationally.

For more information on the Veterans Day Open House at Stahls in Chesterfield Township or the hockey game between Team Stahls and the Detroit Red Wings Alumni, visit www.stahlsauto.com/veterans day17.